Navigating the Culture of Corrections

1. Navigating the Culture of Corrections April 15, 2008 Columbus, Ohio

2. Prepared by: • Kelly McCann, CEO AIDS Foundation Houston • Consultant, National Minority AIDS Council, Prison Initiative National Minority AIDS Council

3. Why Are We Here? • By the end of this training, participants will be able to: • Identify the primary purpose and mission of correctional institutions, and compare and contrast the mission of corrections institutions to that of community and faith based service providers working in a correctional setting • Identify five rules commonly imposed on all visitors in a correctional setting National Minority AIDS Council

4. Why Are We Here? • Explain why it is important to use proper terminology when referring to inmates and correctional staff in a correctional setting • Describe both appropriate and inappropriate clothing for visitors working in a correctional institution • Explain why it is important to maintain proper working relationship boundaries while interacting with inmates • Define and site examples of contraband National Minority AIDS Council

5. Whose Mission? • Health and human service agencies exist to improve the health and lives of their clients and communities. • Correctional facilities aim to protect society and reduce crime. (Custody of inmates and security are main concerns. Rehabilitation, medical care, and education are secondary.) National Minority AIDS Council

6. What is Culture? “Culture is the acquired knowledge people use to interpret experience and generate behavior.” ~Anthropologist James Spradley National Minority AIDS Council

7. Other definitions • Culture is the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.American Heritage Dictionary National Minority AIDS Council

8. Behaviors Arts Beliefs Institutions Dress Language Components of Culture National Minority AIDS Council

9. Prison Culture What do you think of when you think of “prison culture”? National Minority AIDS Council

10. Stereotypes Brutal torture? or Country club? National Minority AIDS Council

11. What’s our Role? National Minority AIDS Council

12. Prison Culture “(T)he values, assumptions and beliefs that correctional staff hold in common. These drive both individual and group behaviors, which ultimately define the way a particular institution functions.” ~National Institute of Correction's Institutional Culture Initiative (NIC-ICI) National Minority AIDS Council

13. So, why do we need to go to jail? Reasons to intervene in correctional settings

14. Public Health = Public SafetyCorrectional Facilities are Part of the Community Populations most impacted by health disparities in the community are disproportionally represented in corrections

15. Why Do We Need to Go to Jail? • Among the 7.5 million prisoners released in 2002: • 1.3 million infected with hepatitis C (HCV) • 137,000 infected with HIV • 12,000 infected with active TB • 566,000 with latent TB • Represents 29% (HCV), 13-17% (HIV), and 35% (TB) of total number of Americans living with these infections (Source: National Commission on Correctional Health Care, The Health Status of Soon-to-be-Released Inmates, 2002.) National Minority AIDS Council

16. Why Do We Need to Go to Jail? • The majority of those with HIV are coming into the system with HIV. • Majority of prisoners with HIV report IDU histories. • Majority of prisoners with HIV are co-infected with HCV. • The risks (both sexual and blood-borne) continue during incarceration and post release National Minority AIDS Council

17. Why Do We Need to Go to Jail? RISKS: • Needle-sharing for injection drug use • Unprotected sexual intercourse • Bonding rituals involving body fluids • Keistering (concealing contraband in body-cavities) • Prison tattoos with re-used equipment • Body piercing with re-used equipment • Fights National Minority AIDS Council

18. National Health Status of the Incarcerated • Poor access to health care services prior to incarceration • History of trauma (physical abuse and violence) • Chronic illnesses (seizures, hypertension,diabetes, smoking) • High rates of substance abuse and mental illness • Infectious diseases (TB, HIV / AIDS, STDs, hepatitis) National Minority AIDS Council

19. Costs to Corrections Systems (and taxpayers) • Medications “alone” • $2,000 (Hep C) + $1,500 (HIV) = $42,000 a year! • Most health problems are endemic among inmates • 2 - 3% of inmates = 30% of cost National Minority AIDS Council

20. Why do we need to go to jail? • It’s where disease is! • Burden of HIV, STD, TB passing through corrections • Address complex social issues • Impact of mental illness, substance abuse and other social problems • Support continuity of care between corrections and the community National Minority AIDS Council

21. Almost every person who is incarcerated in jail and 97% of those incarcerated in prison will eventually be released. The Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council. Available at www.re-entrypolicy.org Why Do We Need to Go to Jail? National Minority AIDS Council

22. Why Do We Need to Go to Jail? • The majority of HIV+ prisoners are released back to communities and they have the same needs as other clients: • Medical care • Substance abuse treatment • Housing • Food • Vocational/Employment services And need support to stay in the community … National Minority AIDS Council

23. Community Concerns • More people are leaving prison • Failure rates and associated cost are high • Returning prisoners are less prepared for community life • Significant challenges facing returning prisoners • Consequences for families and communities National Minority AIDS Council

24. Social and Economic Costs High incarceration rate + High recidivism + Short time in jail / prison + Disease burden + No care coordination + No information sharing = Huge direct and indirect economic burden for our communities National Minority AIDS Council

25. Better health services and education for inmates results in benefits to communities and society at large. The Need for a Public Health Model for Correctional Health Care. Massachusetts Public Health Association Why Do We Need to Go to Jail? National Minority AIDS Council

26. Why Do We Need to Go to Jail? National Minority AIDS Council

27. Prison Slang Activity What do we need to know about prison culture? National Minority AIDS Council

28. Prison Culture • Prison Slang Exercise National Minority AIDS Council

29. Prison Culture – Maintaining Good Relationships Relationships with Correctional staff - • Communications – glossary of terms • Understanding Prison Hierarchy Relationships with Inmates – • Be genuine • Be consistent • Follow the rules National Minority AIDS Council

30. Prison Culture –Who are we serving? • Who are inmates? • Is the prison experience the same for female inmates and their male counterparts? National Minority AIDS Council

31. Women’s Prison Experience • Pseudo families • Social structure • Free world relationships, esp. children National Minority AIDS Council

32. Working with Inmates – A Caution against Manipulation • Manipulation – to control or play upon by artful, unfair or insidious means, especially to one’s own advantage. Inmates may use the following techniques: • Flattery • Empathy – “I can relate to that” • Sympathy – make you feel sorry for them • Helplessness • Confidentiality – share a secret • Isolation – pitting officer against officer, rumors • Touching, sexual references National Minority AIDS Council

33. To avoid being manipulated, adhere to the following principles - • Never do anything to, for or with an inmate that you would be ashamed to share with your peers, supervisor • Keep everything out in the open. Tell supervisor even if you did something inappropriate • If you suspect a request or action could lead to manipulation, tell several peers what took place. Let the inmate know you told, or better yet, tell peers in front of inmate • Know the rules and regulations and enforce them • Learn to use the command, “NO” • Be aware of body language and messages you transmit • Document suspicious/unusual behavior • Verify inmate stories before taking action National Minority AIDS Council

34. Prison Culture –How should visitors behave? Rules of conduct for visitors - • Dress • Contraband • Get permission for everything • Act like a guest National Minority AIDS Council

35. Getting Started – Planning your Prison Project • Learn about your local correctional facility • Find out if there is another CBO already working with offenders/correctional facility • Establish relationship with corrections authorities (sheriff, warden, etc) • Ask them what they need • Be flexible! National Minority AIDS Council

36. Navigating the Culture of Corrections Kelly McCann, CEO AIDS Foundation Houston 713.623.6796, ext. 251 McCannK@AFHouston.org www.AIDSHelp.org National Minority AIDS Council